There are very few voices in music that strike you like the gentleness of Hope Sandoval. As the frontwoman of the long-revered and much-talked-about Mazzy Star, Sandoval mixed her tender falsettos with jangly guitars to deliver heartfelt tunes that range from intimate folk to experimental psychedelia. Mazzy Star was originally formed in 1988 after the band Opal called it quits, leaving the multi-faceted David Roback without an outlet for his many talents. From the ashes of Opal rose a new band for Roback to conduct with Sandoval stepping in on songwriting and vocal duties. Their debut album, 1990’s She Hangs Brightly, was received well by critics but did very little for their commercial success. It wasn’t until 1993 when Sandoval and Roback entered the studio to write what would become an iconic gemstone of the early 90’s alternative scene, a creation that would go on to cement their legacy.
Today (October 5) marks the 30th anniversary of Mazzy Star’s So Tonight That I Might See. The hazy purple that is spread across the artwork has now become synonymous with wistful melodies and arrangements that go from clunky to atmospheric. Mazzy Star’s second LP had the band discovering a formula that separates them from the plethora of bands that were formed and given record deals in their era. Their cosmic twist on folk and blues tropes gave them the emotional weight of the two genres’ storytelling set to otherworldly and unconventional arrangements, a formula Roback first began to toy with during his Opal days. While there are traces of his signature fusion throughout his early work, it was Sandoval’s hauntingly stunning vocals and mystifying poetry that would become the final piece to his sonic puzzle.
At the time of the release of So Tonight That I Might See, Mazzy Star was in a limbo of sorts. The label that released their aforementioned debut had folded and the band’s contract was quickly picked up by Capitol Records. It is here where Mazzy Star would release their now iconic sophomore LP, although it wasn’t an instant hit. It was almost a full calendar year before Mazzy Star’s second album would take off and it is thanks to “Fade into You”. The first song on the album would go on to be their first smash hit, receive wide airplay, and land the band on the Billboard charts. The ballad is, to this day, world-renowned, and Mazzy Star’s only real hit. Although, the album is brimming with songwriting prowess and masterful musicianship.
Moments like “Mary of Silence” and “Five String Serenade” have Sandoval at her most potent. The two songs have juxtaposing tones with the vocals anchoring them down to reality. “Mary of Silence” is lined with echoing vocals and searing guitars for a dark atmosphere while “Five String Serenade” has their folk influences at a fever pitch. Sandoval slowly dances with glimmering guitar chords for a whirlwind of whispering melodies. It is contradicting moments like these that make So Tonight That I Might See such a memorable and heartfelt LP and prove why thirty years after its initial release and 29 years after “Fade into You” catapulted them into the spotlight, Mazzy Star’s second LP stands a pillar of their innovation and undeniable musicianship.
